Dementia is defined as the loss of cognitive functioning, including a decline in language, memory, problem-solving skills, and other cognitive abilities. The causes of dementia vary and depend on the brain’s area affected. Among the most common causes are degenerative neurological diseases, stroke, brain injury, brain tumor, or some other causes. There are certain risks that can increase a person’s chances of getting dementia, including age, family history, smoking, and lifestyle.

Dementia might have no symptoms at all, but there are still early indicators that everyone should be aware of. Knowing early symptoms and being able to identify them will help to diagnose dementia early and start treatment as soon as possible:

1. Memory loss
Losing memory is one of the first symptoms of dementia. A lot of patients, especially in the early stage, start forgetting the recently learned information, dates, appointments or events. They might start asking the same things over and over or to tell the same stories many times.

2. Confusion with place or time
People with dementia always lose the passage of time, track of dates or even seasons. Sometimes they might even forget where they are and how they got there. In many cases, they start forgetting their regular routes, directions, house or apartment numbers.

3. Issues with new words in speaking and writing
Problems following or joining a conversation is one of the most common early warning signs of dementia. People with dementia might stop in the middle of a conversation without an idea of how to continue or keep repeating themselves. They might have issues naming or describing familiar objects or using the wrong names for them.

4. Withdrawal from social activities and work
One of the first common signs of dementia is the loss of interest in social life, work, hobbies, and other engagements. They might prefer to stay alone and spend more time at home. It should be a warning sign if a typically active and social person suddenly becomes passive and antisocial.

5. Personality and mood changes
Changes in mood and personality are observed in many patients with dementia in the early stage. They become more suspicious, confused, depressed, anxious, and fearful. They might get upset or scared very easily, which is characterized by rapid mood swings.

6. Difficulty completing familiar and routine tasks
If a person suddenly starts struggling with such regular tasks as driving, managing daily chores or doing homework, then it might be an early symptom of dementia. People with this problem might start relying more and more on other family members and become less independent. They start asking for help with the things that were completely easy for them to handle before.

7. Misplacing things
People with dementia might put items in wrong and unusual places, be incapable to retrace steps to search for a lost item, or even accuse others of stealing things if they cannot find them.